Modern Day Sabbath | Why, When, & Exactly HOW to Do It

How refreshed would you feel if you took off one day every week? What if, for 24 hours, you didn’t work, didn’t fret over cleaning or running errands, and didn’t feel the pressure to check items off your to-do list at the first sign of free time?

What if, for just one day a week, you refused to feel guilty for resting? You would be participating in a modern day sabbath.

Do We Have Time For a Modern Day Sabbath?

Now I know what you’re thinking. If only I didn’t have so much to do!

And I feel you! I work 40 hours a week, log 10-15 hours a week at a second job, and act as my child’s primary caregiver 6-7 hours every weekday, and all day weekends. Add in homework, sports, and extended family, and we’re booked!

So the idea of taking one day off a week sounded impossible and frankly, irresponsible, when I first considered it. But man, I desperately needed a day of worship and rest!

What I found was that I was constantly running on fumes when I pushed myself to the max seven days a week.

I was exhausted to the point of tears, was easily irritated with the people I loved most, and felt enormous guilt any time I gave myself a few minutes off, thinking about all of the productive things I should have accomplished with that time.

What God Says About Observing the Sabbath Day

I ultimately found I was worse at everything when I wasn’t taking a regular day of rest. And that’s when I stumbled across Isaiah 58:13-14 (MSG) in my daily Bible reading:

“If you watch your step on the Sabbath and don’t use my holy day for personal advantage, if you treat the Sabbath as a day of joy, God’s holy day as a celebration, if you honor it by refusing ‘business as usual,’ making money, running here and there — Then you’ll be free to enjoy God! Oh, I’ll make you ride high and soar above it all. I’ll make you feast on the inheritance of your ancestor Jacob.” Yes! God says so!

The concept of sabbath in the Old Testament was that on the seventh day of the week, people would stop working. They’d spend the day attending church, spending time with their family and friends, and avoiding checking any items off their to-do lists, all with the intention of honoring God. And it wasn’t just an Old Testament sabbath law!

In the New Testament, Jesus referred to himself as “Lord of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27-28). He explained that we were not created to serve the sabbath day, but that the sabbath day was created to serve and help us.

In Romans 14, the Apostle Paul further discusses that everything you do on a holy day (alluding to the sabbath) should be done to the glory of God.

What Does a Modern Day Sabbath Look Like?

So what does that mean for modern times? Because life in the Old Testament 2000 years ago was obviously very different (and likely less busy) than it is now.

What things can you do to rest and honor God on a modern day sabbath?

• Refrain from work, or from checking items off your to-do list.
• Attend church (commanded in Leviticus 23:3 and 1 Corinthians 11:18).
• Invest extra time into worshiping God, and reading and studying the Bible.
• Focus on spending quality time with family and friends.
• Invest time in serving others.
• Minimize housework as much as possible. I mean, don’t leave out food that brings all the bugs to the yard, but don’t make this the day you vacuum the entire house or scrub the bathtub.
• Keep meals low-key (think crockpot dumps, sandwiches, or ordering a pizza).
• Avoid mindless and potentially stressful technology, like scrolling social media or checking emails.
• Switch things up from your normal day-to-day. So if you spend 40-50 hours a week at a desk, take a walk or visit a park. If you spend your week on your feet in the hot sun, sit down in a cool room and allow your body to rest.
• Invest time into those things you’ve been meaning to do for yourself. Take a relaxing bath, watch a movie, or log time with a hobby, like writing, knitting, or biking.

What About My To-Do List?

But what about all of the other things you intended to do that day? After all, it’s rare to experience a day in which you have absolutely nothing to check off your list.

What about grocery shopping, paying bills, and filling out that paperwork you were supposed to complete last week?

As I prepared for my first modern day sabbath, I had to decide where to fit all of those tasks elsewhere in my week. Yes, I made the other six days of the week slightly more stressful…in order to create one truly carefree sabbath day.

God helped His people accomplish this in the Bible. While He was sending the Israelites their daily manna in the desert, He would always send a double portion of manna on the sixth day, to allow the Israelites to rest from work on the seventh day of the week, their sabbath.

And I believe God does the same for us today. I find it challenging to work full-time and invest time into my side gig — writing and website management. So imagine my fear at the thought of not working at either job for an entire day every week!

But as I began to practice a modern day sabbath, I found that I was accomplishing more on my side gig throughout the week. I was more focused and energized, and knocking out my work in nearly half the time.

I sincerely believe that God blesses our efforts to honor Him, and won’t leave us with work hanging over our heads. It was difficult to believe that at first. But week after week of experiencing God provide helped to settle my mind and heart that the work would be completed.

On my first attempt at a day of rest, I probably got up from my chair 30 times to start a task…then sat back down as I remembered I was observing the sabbath.

And I’ve gotta tell you…giving myself the permission, the command even, to rest and focus on my faith and family for 24 hours? It felt like an overwhelming breath of fresh air.

And when I returned to my job, side gig, and general chaos the following day? I felt refreshed, and experienced a surge of energy that I hadn’t felt in months.

Do I Have to Practice the Sabbath on a Saturday or Sunday?

The answer to this question really depends on who you talk to.

Some people insist that God directed us in the Ten Commandments to observe the sabbath on the seventh day of the week, Saturday. Others take it a step further to argue that the sabbath should start Friday at sundown and last until Saturday at sundown.

Still others practice the sabbath on Sundays. They’re following the guidance of early Christians who began observing the sabbath on the first day of the week to honor the day Jesus rose from the grave – the “Lord’s Day.”

Here’s a bit of a breakdown:

Historically:

• Early Christians (1st–2nd century) began meeting on the first day of the week, Sunday, for worship (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2).
• For several centuries, some Christians still kept Saturday as the Sabbath while also gathering on Sunday.
• By the 4th century, Sunday observance became the dominant practice in most of the Christian world.

Today:

• Jewish Christians, Seventh-day Adventists, and some other groups keep Saturday as the Sabbath day.
• Most Christian denominations observe Sunday as their primary day of rest and worship.

I personally grew up with a dad who was a police officer and worked an unpredictable schedule (with loads of weekend and holiday shifts) not because he was putting his job before his faith, but because his God-given gifts led him into a ministry of protecting people at all days and times.

For this reason, we often practiced the spirit of the sabbath on non-traditional days…and occasionally celebrated Christmas and Easter as a family on days that were technically not Christmas or Easter.

When I first started observing the sabbath as an adult, I was trapped in a Sunday-Thursday work schedule. That led me to observe the sabbath on Saturdays. I dedicated the day to rest and attended a Saturday night church service with my family.

I’m of the mindset that if you work weekends and can’t get out of it (Hi, Dad!), you could even observe a dedicated weekday of rest and worship. People have argued vehemently with me about that, insisting it’s sacrilege and demanding to know what kind of biblical training I’ve received to even have an opinion. (I received my bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Christian universities with heavy biblical studies and have served in ministry for 25 years, where I’ve received countless Bible, ministry, and leadership trainings, but I’m not a pastor or Bible scholar, so…you can take or leave my opinion.).

But I always come back to this story in the New Testament:

One Sabbath, Jesus was strolling with his disciples through a field of ripe grain. Hungry, the disciples were pulling off the heads of grain and munching on them. Some Pharisees reported them to Jesus: “Your disciples are breaking the Sabbath rules!”

Jesus said, “Really? Didn’t you ever read what David and his companions did when they were hungry, how they entered the sanctuary and ate fresh bread off the altar, bread that no one but priests were allowed to eat? And didn’t you ever read in God’s Law that priests carrying out their Temple duties break Sabbath rules all the time and it’s not held against them?

“There is far more at stake here than religion. If you had any idea what this Scripture meant—‘I prefer a flexible heart to an inflexible ritual’—you wouldn’t be nitpicking like this. The Son of Man is no yes-man to the Sabbath; he’s in charge.” (Matthew 12:1-8, MSG)

I interpret this passage to mean that God is after our hearts when it comes to the Sabbath day of rest, rather than after an “inflexible ritual.” You might interpret it differently, and that’s okay!

Study Scripture for yourself and pray for God to enlighten you and reveal to you how and when you should observe a regular day of rest.

It’s your turn! How will you practice a modern day sabbath?

I challenge you to try practicing your own modern day sabbath. It’s not only an act of obedience to God’s commands, but also an act of love…as we commit one of our most valuable resources, our time, to our Father and Lord.

And the return on that obedience? It’s the rest and refreshment you desperately need.

What will your modern day sabbath look and feel like? I can’t wait to hear about it!

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I start observing the sabbath today if a full day of rest seems too challenging?

You can start small by setting aside a few hours each week for rest and reflection. Turn off your phone and avoid checking social media or emails during this time.

Consider:

• Spending time in prayer or reading the Bible or Christian books.
• Taking a walk in nature or sitting quietly in your yard.
• Spending time with family or friends by enjoying a meal together, playing board games, or engaging in distraction-free conversations.

Once you’ve mastered investing an hour or two into quality time, bump your “sabbath time” up to 3 hours, then 4. Keep adding on time until you’ve reached a full day of worship and rest.

What did the transition from Saturday to Sunday morning worship involve historically?

While the sabbath law was originally set for observation on the seventh day of the week (Saturday), early Christians began meeting on Sundays to remember Jesus’ resurrection that took place on the first day of the week.

In 321 AD, Roman Emperor Constantine made Sunday the official day of rest. This helped to establish Sunday worship across the Roman Empire.

Some Christian groups continued to observe Saturday as the sabbath day, while others adopted Sunday as their primary day of worship and rest. This shift happened gradually over several centuries, with different Christian communities making the transition at different times.

What activities are traditionally avoided on days of sabbath rest and why?

Most sabbath observers avoid:

• Work and business activities
• Shopping
• Household chores
• Activities that cause stress or worry, like paying bills or dealing with difficult problems

Some household chores can’t be avoided, like feeding your family. Many families choose to keep meals as simple as possible on their day of sabbath rest by either preparing meals in advance or minimizing their efforts with simple crockpot dumps the day of.

The goal is to rest your mind and body. Any activity that feels like work or creates anxiety goes against the concept of sabbath.

How did early Christians honor the sabbath day of worship in the New Testament?

Early Christians in the New Testament practiced the day of sabbath rest by:

• Studying Scripture and praying more than usual.
• Gathering with other believers for worship, prayer, teaching, and fellowship.
• Serving others in need.
• Participating in acts of compassion and kindness.

Which day is commonly recognized as the sabbath in different faiths?

Most Christian churches practice their day of worship and rest on Sunday. Like early Christians, they consider this to be the Lord’s Day because Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week.

Jewish Christians observe the sabbath from Friday evening to Saturday evening, while Seventh-day Adventists keep Saturday as their sabbath day. Both Jewish Christians and Seventh-day Adventists believe the Old Testament seventh-day sabbath should still apply, even in modern times.

Some Christian groups observe both days, attending church on Sunday but observing a day of rest on Saturday.

How can families incorporate sabbath practices into their weekly routine?

Trying starting your sabbath with a meal together! Light candles and say a blessing to mark the beginning of your sabbath day. Use your best dishes or start a family tradition to make it special.

Create a few simple rules that everyone can follow. For example, no homework, social media, video games, or stressful activities during your sabbath observance.

Plan a few activities for the day that bring your family closer.

Read stories together, enjoy a game night, or take a walk in your neighborhood. Letting your children help choose some sabbath activities and daily rhythms will make them more excited about the special day.

And keep the same Sabbath schedule every week! This will help your family know what to expect and build good habits.

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